BULLS GAP, Tenn. (March 21-22)  Volunteer Speedway kicked its 2008 racing season off Friday and Saturday with the Thunder Series  $10,000-to-win 10th Annual Spring Thaw 100 racing weekend.

The first day of spring arrived earlier in the week, but Saturday turned out to be a bone-chilling night in East Tennessee that had fans all bundled up braving the blustery wind and cold temperatures.

Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., a fan-favorite at The Gap dating back to his early racing career chauffeuring Street Stocks and Open Wheel Modifieds, has steadily climbed his way up the racing ladder over the last couple of years, winning several high-profile Super Late Model events on the national level.

Saturday night the Newport Nightmare Owens won the first Sunoco Race Fuels Quick Six Dash to earn the pole position for the Spring Thaw 100, with Scott Bloomquist finishing second to nail down the outside front-row starting berth. Owens launched into the lead at the drop of the green and proceeded to lead flag-to-flag, though he had to hold off several late-race charges from Bloomquist as the lead duo negotiated lapped traffic en route to his $10,000 victory.

It was a really good race car (Bloomquist Race Cars) this weekend, as it was proved last night in qualifying by setting fast-time and then backing the quick time up by winning the heat race. 

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